0Getting your motorcycle ready for the road long term is no easy task. Not only do you have to worry about buying tools, supplies, gear, accessories, and gadgets you also need to get your bike fully functional and road ready. Every motorcycle is different but the rules of the road apply uniformly. Motorcycle’s should be maintained and need to be inspected before the road. Everything below should be on the top of your checklist before you hit the road.
Chain Maintenance – Replace your chain
If the chain on your bike has done 15k to 30k miles, it might be time for a placement. I would recommend replacing the chain so you won’t have any problems on the road. You can buy the piece online to save some money, but unless you have some motorcycle repair experience I’d recommend taking it to a repair shop to get it properly done.
Chain Maintenance – Chain cleaning
You should clean your chain every 500 miles, and since you are on the road a little more often than that. Chain cleaner sets are not too expensive and relatively easy to apply. I use Motul’s Off Road Chain Care Kit which comes with lubricant, cleaner and a brush. They all relatively work the same way. I’d highly recommend taking a cleaner kit for your trip.
Oil and oil filter change
I recommend replacing oil and oil filters every 3000 to 5000 miles. Leaving old oil and oil filter can cause tremendous long term damage to the engine. You can learn to do the work here on your own with the help of Youtube. It isn’t too expensive to have a shop do the work for you as well.
Battery
Check the battery life. If you have an old battery, it might be safer for you in the longterm to just replace it. If your bike has been stored for parts of the winter, you can use a battery tender to charge the battery. You do not want to try to turn on your bike in the middle of your travels to find the battery dead- with our luck this would happen in the middle of nowhere.
Tires
If the threads on your tires are worn out, it means it’s time for a change. Worn out tires are very dangerous as they no longer have the handling and friction they once did. You are generally required by both federal and state laws to ensure that the tread on your motorcycle tires is at least 1/32 or 2/32 deep. Usually the middle of the tire is going to thread faster than the sides. Tires that are worn out are dangerous on the road especially when there’s rain. Make sure there are no leaks, the tire pressure is consistent, and no cracks are on the sidewalls. The front and back tires might age and wear down differently. Rear tires on a bike can last around 2000 miles on average while the front usually can last around 4000 miles.
Brake Pads
Brake pads when overused get thinner. You should be ready to replace the break pad when there is 25-40 percent of life remaining. Brake pads can last from 20,000 miles to 50,000,+ miles. However I would recommend getting the brake pads inspected. You’ll be much safer on the road.
Brake Fluid
Recommended to be changed every 24,000 miles. Changing the dirty fluid with new fresh fluid will slightly minimize braking issues.
Coolant
Recommended to be changed every 30,000 miles. Depending on the bike and how your coolant reacts, you might not need to change it for the 60,000 miles and then every 30,000 after that.
Inspection
Before you go on a trip, go and get the bike inspected at a shop. Worst comes to worst, you find some issues with the bike early on and get them fixed so they won’t be an issue with your travels. Don’t skimp out, you don’t want to be weeks or days into your trip to have major issues on the road. Make sure your bike is in top notch shape before you hit the road. You’ll be able to live the tale and that’s more than reason enough!
I think that covers the basics. Let me know if I missed anything! If you are interested in how to pack for a motorcycle trip, I have you covered there too!
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